York Bowen: Piano Works, Vol. 4 Joop Celis

• 1 I. Prelude: Moderato 01:42
• 2 II. Gavotte: Allegretto grazioso 01:39
• 3 III. Sarabande: Andante tranquillo 02:48
• 4 IV. Minuet: Allegretto grazioso 01:16
• 5 V. Gigue: Allegro vivace 02:08
• 6 I. Prelude: Moderato 03:15
• 7 II. Valse: Un poco sostenuto 02:35
• 8 III. Moto perpetuo (Finale): Veloce e leggiero 02:45
• 9 I. Allegro: Allegro con spirito 03:31
• 10 II. Intermezzo: Andante cantabile 03:11
• 11 III. Scherzo: Allegro vivo 03:31
• 12 IV. Valse-reverie: Poco lento e rubato 02:24
• 13 V. Toccata (Finale): Allegro vivo (ma non troppo) 03:51
• 14 I. Andante con moto 02:52
• 15 II. Andantino grazioso 03:15
• 16 III. Andante semplice 03:55
• 17 I. Allegro e semplice 04:06
• 18 II. Andante espressivo 03:12
• 19 III. Finale: Allegro assai e giocoso 02:58
• 20 No. 1. Andantino grazioso 04:14
• 21 No. 2. Allegro maestoso - Largamente - Animato 03:27
• 22 No. 3. Andantino espressivo - Ben sostenuto - A tempo 03:38
• 23 Polonaise in F Sharp Major, Op. 26, No. 2 10:03
• 24 A Whim, Op. 19, No. 2 02:27
• Total Runtime 01:18:43

Info for York Bowen: Piano Works, Vol. 4

This album is the fourth in a series devoted to Bowen’s solo piano music, and like the earlier issues it is made up of a wide range of different works, from relatively large-scale structures to quite short, almost miniature, pieces. Unlike that of any other British composer of his generation, Bowen’s music for piano was written with the most profound understanding of the capabilities of the modern concert grand piano.

The music here comes from two distinct periods in Bowen’s life: the first two decades of the new century and the period from 1949 to 1960. Despite the varying nature of their provenance, the music throughout has an impressive consistency of style.

Here are the delightful and beautifully articulate three-movement Sonatina of 1954 and the early Suite Mignonne (the Fourth Suite) and Third Suite, both composed shortly before Bowen volunteered to join the Scots Guards during World War I. Also included are the Three Novelettes, published in 1949, which exemplify much of the emotional mood of the music of this collection, besides the rare influence of Sibelius and Bax. The early Polonaise in F sharp is a very different study: clearly a thinly veiled homage to Chopin, it demonstrates Bowen’s skill in creating a large single piece within a stylised dance form. The album is completed by another early inspiration, the distinctively titled miniature ‘A Whim’.

“Why such gratifying music has lain unplayed for so long is a mystery...The cherry on the top throughout is the wonderful playing of Joop Celis, a Dutchman completely in tune with Bowen's idiom, incapable of making an ugly sound...Altogether a lovely album.” (GRAMOPHONE)

Partita, Op. 156
Sonatina, Op. 144
Suite No. 3, Op. 38
Suite Mignonne, Op. 39
Three Sketches, Op. 43
Three Novelettes, Op. 124
Polonaise in F sharp major, Op. 26, No. 2

Prelude. Moderato - Allegro moderato
Gavotte. Allegretto grazioso
Sarabande. Andante tranquillo
Minuet. Allegretto grazioso
Gigue. Allegro vivace

Suite Mignonne, Op.39
Fourth Suite
To My Pupil: Miss Kathleen Richards
I Prelude: Moderato
II Valse. Un poco sostenuto
III Moto perpetuo (Finale). Veloce e leggiero - [ ] - Tempo i
Third Suite, Op.38 To Frederic Corder Esq. 1914
I Allegro. Allegro con spirito - [ ] - Tempo I
II Intermezzo. Andante cantabile - [ ] - Tempo I<
III Scherzo. Allegro vivo - Legato e cantabile - Tempo I - [ ] - Tempo I
IV Valse-rêverie. Poco lento e rubato

V Toccata (Finale). Allegro vivo (ma non troppo) - Più mosso - Tempo I - Tempo animato e stretto molto
Three Sketches, Op.43
I Andante con moto
II Andantino grazioso
III Andante semplice
Sonatina, Op.144
To Michael Matthews
I Allegro e semplice
II Andante espressivo
III Finale. Allegro assai e giocoso
Three Novelettes, Op.124
To Marion Keyte-Perry, 1947
1 Andantino grazioso
2 Allegro maestoso - Largamente - Animato
3 Andantino espressivo - Ben sostenuto - A tempo
Polonaise, Op.26 No.2
in F sharp major
To Tobias Matthay
Allegro maestoso - Poco meno mosso - Tempo I - Poco più tranquillo - Tempo I
A Whim, Op.19 No.2
Moderato, ma molto scherzando e rubato - [ ] - Tempo I

Joop Celis (piano)

Joop Celis
Born in the Netherlands, Joop Celis (1958) received his first piano lessons from his father at the age of nine. Later he studied with Jo Dusseldorp at the Conservatorium Maastricht, graduating with distinction in 1979. At the age of fifteen he won a Dutch competition for young pianists, and four years later the third prize at the famous Busoni Competition in Bolzano, Italy. He continued his studies for two years with Paul Badura-Skoda at the Folkwang Musikhochschule in Essen, Germany. In addition he is a laureate of the Tromp Competition in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) and of the Epinal International Piano Competition (France).

Besides giving solo recitals and concerts of chamber music, Joop Celis has made a number of radio recordings for several international broadcasting companies, as well as recordings for release on CD. His repertoire ranges from the Classical period through the Romantic era up to French impressionism and post-romanticism. He has devoted himself in particular to the relatively un-known British composer York Bowen (1884–1961), giving lecture-recitals, concerts, and making recordings. Until now Joop Celis realized four CD’s with piano works by York Bowen, released by the British Chandos label. All four CD’s received critical acclaim in the international press. His most recent CD, dedicated to piano works of the Spanish composer Enrique Granados – a.o. his famous suite ‘Goyescas’ and the Escenas Poéticas – and being released by the Swedish label BIS – is a kind of centenary tribute to the composer, who died tragically during the First World War, in March 1916.

Joop Celis teaches at the Hogeschool Zuyd Conservatorium in Maastricht and at the Lemmens campus of the LUCA School of Arts in Leuven, Belgium, and regularly gives masterclasses abroad, for example in Belgium, Portugal and Asia.

This album contains no booklet.